Mystery Bestsellers for the Week Ending September 16th, 2011

A list of the top 15 mystery hardcover bestsellers for the week ending September 16th, 2011 has been posted by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books.

Retaining the top position this week is Kill Me If You Can by James Patterson co-written with Marshall Karp. Three new titles debut.

— ◊ —

Coming in at number 10 is the — quite honestly, we've lost count … let's just call it the "latest" — Eve Dallas "In Death" near-future mystery, New York to Dallas by J. D. Robb.

When a monster named Isaac McQueen — taken down by Eve back in her uniform days — escapes from Rikers, he has two things in mind.

One is to pick up where he left off, abducting young victims and leaving them scarred in both mind and body.

The other is to get revenge on the woman who stopped him all those years ago.

Purchase Options:

— ◊ —

Two places lower in 12th position is the political thriller Abuse of Power by Michael Savage.

Jack Hatfield, a freelance TV producer who lost his top-rated opinion show, Truth Tellers, thanks to a liberal media smear campaign, is filming a piece on the San Francisco Police Department’s bomb squad when a call comes in about a bomb found at the site of an auto accident. The mayor and the FBI play down a possible Arab link, and an unlikely informer puts the blame on a homegrown fringe group. Smelling a coverup, the patriotic journalist single-mindedly pursues the truth as far as Israel, Paris, and London.

Meanwhile, Imam Zuabi and his Hand of Allah agents prepare a major terrorist attack. Hatfield and a handful of amateurs must fight to prevent a disaster that certain officials choose to ignore … or abet.

Purchase Options:

— ◊ —

New at number 14 is the first of the Jesse Stone mysteries published following the death of his creator, Robert B. Parker, Killing the Blues by Michael Brandman.

Paradise, Massachusetts, is preparing for the summer tourist season when a string of car thefts disturbs what is usually a quiet time in town. In a sudden escalation of violence, the thefts become murder, and chief of police Jesse Stone finds himself facing one of the toughest cases of his career. Pressure from the town politicians only increases when another crime wave puts residents on edge. Jesse confronts a personal dilemma as well: a burgeoning relationship with a young PR executive, whose plans to turn Paradise into a summertime concert destination may have her running afoul of the law.

When a mysterious figure from Jesse's past arrives in town, memories of his last troubled days as a cop in L.A. threaten his ability to keep order in Paradise-especially when it appears that the stranger is out for revenge.

Purchase Options:

— ◊ —

For more mystery books news, please visit the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, where we are committed to providing readers and collectors of mystery books with the best and most current information about their favorite authors, titles, and series.

Winners of the 2011 Barry Awards Announced

The winners of the Barry Awards, presented by the editorial staff of Deadly Pleasures, were announced this evening at Bouchercon 2011. Thanks to everyone who tweeted the results!

The winners are …

• Best Novel: The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (Minotaur Books)

• Best First Novel: The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron (Minotaur Books)

• Best British Novel: The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill (HarperCollins)

• Best Paperback Original: Fever at the Bone by Val McDermid (Harper)

• Best Thriller: 13 Hours by Deon Meyer (Grove Atlantic)

• Best Short Story: "The List" by Loren D. Estleman (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)

The Muppets' Parody Trailer for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

This is really too funny.

The Muppets have created a parody trailer based on trailer for the soon to be released English-language film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; we've embedded it below.

We posted the original trailer back in June. The two are, in their own way, remarkably similar!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens in US theaters on December 21st, 2011.

Warner Bros. Selects Takedown by Brad Thor as the First Scot Harvath Thriller to Adapt

Last fall, we reported that Warner Bros. had acquired the rights to Brad Thor's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL Scot Harvath. Today we're learning that the fifth book in the series, Takedown, will be the first adapted for film. Ryan Craig will write the screenplay.

The book is set on a 4th of July weekend in New York City. As thousands of holiday travelers make their way out of Manhattan, a flawlessly executed terrorist attack plunges the city into a maelstrom of panic and death. Amidst the chaos, an elite team of foreign soldiers is systematically searching for one of their own, a man so powerful that the U.S. government refuses to admit he even exists and will do anything to keep him hidden.

Now, with the world’s deadliest enemy upon America’s doorstep, counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath must fight his way through the burning city streets to take down an invisible terrorist mastermind with the means to unleash hell on a global scale.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)

ABC Developing Television Series Adaptation of Sci-Fi Thriller Source Code

ABC is developing a television series adaptation of the sci-fi thriller Source Code, a film we rather enjoyed. (You can read our review on Mr. E. Reviews: Source Code.)

Mark Gordon (Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy) is producing the series — he also produced the film — which differs from the film in that it follows three former federal agents, who are part of the top-secret "Source Code" project and use it to presumably solve — or more likely, prevent — crimes.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)

Straw Dogs, Adapted from a Novel by Gordon M. Williams, Opens in Theaters Friday, September 16th

A film adaptation of Gordon M. Williams's 1969 novel The Siege of Trencher's Farm, Straw Dogs, opens in theaters this Friday, September 16th. Directed by Rod Lurie from his own screenplay, it is also a remake of the 1971 Dustin Hoffman-starring film of the same title.

The new Straw Dogs follows Los Angeles screenwriter David Sumner (played by James Marsden), who moves with his wife Amy (Kate Bosworth) to her hometown in the deep South. Once there, tensions build in their marriage and old conflicts re-emerge with the locals, leading to a violent confrontation.

Watch a trailer for the film below.

Drive, Adapted from a Thriller by James Sallis, Opens in Theaters Friday, September 16th

Ryan Gosling stars as Driver in the film adaptation of James Sallis's 2005 thriller Drive. The film opens in theaters this Friday, September 16th.

Drive is the story of a Hollywood stunt driver by day, a loner by nature, who moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan). When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best — drive!

The film, directed by Nicholas Winding Refn, the winner of the Best Director at this year's Cannes Film Festival, also stars Bryan Cranston as Driver's mechanic, who provides him with souped-up cars to use in addition to dreaming of working with him (legitimately) on a NASCAR team.

Watch a trailer for the film below.

Harlequin Intrigue Titles for October 2011

eHarlequin.com has released the list of October 2011 titles in their Intrigue, breathtaking romantic suspense series. Get these edge-of-your-seat reads today with characters who conquer everything from kidnappings to murder mysteries, only to find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another!

For more information about the book from eHarlequin.com, click on the book cover; other purchase options (Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and The Book Depository) are also provided.

— ◊ —

Black Ops Bodyguard by Donna Young

It didn't matter where Calvin West laid his head. No country could keep him under its thumb. No woman could pin him down. Cool and unpredictable, Cal had a dangerous side that grew the more missions he took. And this time, his orders were coming from an old flame …

Julia Cutting may have worked for the president, but she faced a dilemma the executive office couldn't solve. So, despite her better instincts, she turned to her ex-lover—the man she knew had grown distant. But with a gun and a plan, Cal was a man she could trust with everything but the true reason for crossing enemy lines. Like the danger she found herself in, this was one bodyguard who would never leave her side,or stray far from her thoughts …

— ◊ —

Westin Legacy by Alice Sharpe

From the moment Echo De Gris mysteriously returned to the Open Sky Ranch, Adam Westin felt the sparks fly. The girl he'd known was all grown up, however, trouble still followed her wherever she went. She'd barely been in town a day when she was shot at, chased, and stumbled upon a dying man. And yet the high-spirited beauty insisted on being involved in ferreting out the truth behind the town's deadly secrets. Frustrated with the slow investigation, Adam and Echo took refuge in some much-needed tension relief. But their reprieve was short-lived when whoever was targeting Echo suddenly set his sights on destroying the Westin family ranch—and the man who took pride in its legacy …

— ◊ —

Classified by Debra Webb

Colby Agency investigator Levi Stark had been prepared for the worst when his boss sent him to find her agency's deadliest enemy. But deep undercover in a Mexican mining outpost, Levi met danger from the unlikeliest source—an unknown blonde spitfire on the same trail.

Casey Manning had been secretly sent by Levi's boss's husband. The benched CIA agent trusted no one and worked alone…until she and Levi found themselves outmanned and outgunned. Around her sexy new partner, Casey had a feeling that protecting her identity—and her heart—would prove tougher than keeping them safe from the Colbys' most wanted …

— ◊ —

Stranger, Seducer, Protector by Joanna Wayne

Stranger. Out of nowhere, Nick Bruno arrived at the once opulent, now decaying New Orleans mansion Jacinth Villaré had inherited.

Seducer. The sexy P.I. touched a part of her she'd never known existed.

Protector. When a gruesome crime was discovered in the walls of the Villaré mansion, Nick vowed to keep her safe.

As Jacinth uncovered the long-dead secrets of her newly discovered family, she was haunted by their spirits—and stalked by a very real killer. Though dark and menacing, her family secrets couldn't rival the one Nick kept hidden. He'd vowed to protect her, but could he save her from the truth about himself?

— ◊ —

Engaged with the Boss by Elle James

Scandal could not touch the Kendall family—not with the unsolved Christmas Eve murders looming over their heads. So when eldest son Devin was caught in a compromising situation with his executive assistant, he decided to turn tabloid news in his favor. If Jolie Carson posed as his fiancée, the press would leave him alone and he could conduct his own investigation.

Of course Jolie agreed to Devin's proposition—she'd secretly loved her boss for six long years. Being so close to Devin only made her desire grow stronger, though the danger was not just to her heart. Because someone was after the Kendall family, and Jolie's pretend engagement had made her the next target.

— ◊ —

Major Nanny by Paula Graves

Agent Harlan McClain has his target in sight. But he's not pulling the trigger. Instead his assignment is providing Stacy Giordano—the governor's aide—with security. An easy job for a former marine sniper. And yet, the guarded single mother's beauty and devotion to her exceptional child soon have Harlan reshuffling his priorities. In the dead of night, in her bed, he promises to keep her and her son from harm. But when an unexpected crisis arises, Harlan is suddenly torn between keeping his word, and taking out a killer …

— ◊ —

Travel Channel to Premiere Marcus Sakey's Hidden City on December 5th, 2011

This past May, crime novelist Marcus Sakey announced that he would be writing and hosting a new series for the Travel Channel titled Hidden City. "In it I visit different places and explore the crimes that helped define them," he says. "Basically, my feeling is that if you only see the tourist districts, Seattle is the same as Shanghai. The real stories are in the shadows—and shadowy stories are my business."

Today, the Travel Channel announced a premiere date for the series: Monday, December 5th at 10 PM (ET/PT).

The first city to be visited is Sakey's home town of Chicago, where viewers will meet America’s first—and maybe worst—serial killer, H. H. Holmes; walk in the footsteps of legendary gangster, John Dillinger; and dig into the 1968 DNC riots. Upcoming episodes will include Anchorage, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, the Florida Keys, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

(Hat tip: Media Bistro.)

Telemystery: NBC Developing Cop Drama to Star Vincent D’Onofrio and Ethan Hawke

NBC is developing a high-profile crime drama starring Vincent D’Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Ethan Hawke, both of whom will also executive produce.

Titled Blue Tilt, its premise has the two homicide detectives, one married with children, one divorced, as partners, who must balance work with family.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)